After saying multiple times last month that he wanted to make a quick decision on his free agency, and creating multiple deadlines for the Phoenix Coyotes to sort out their ownership situation and convince him to stay, Shane Doan remains unsigned in late August.

There is no hint that Doan is any closer now to finalizing his plans for next season and beyond than he was when free agency began July 1, but intrigue into his situation has been rekindled.

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The top publicly known offer to Doan in July was for four years and $30 million from an unknown team. Late Tuesday, ESPN reported that the gargantuan offer for the 35-year-old winger came from the Buffalo Sabres, who have had a relatively quiet summer after last year’s spending spree under new owner Terry Pegula.

A new owner is exactly what Doan is hoping to see in Phoenix, where he has repeatedly said he hopes to stay—so long as he knows the team will, too. Greg Jamison’s bid to buy the Coyotes still has not been finalized, but Phoenix coach Dave Tippett remains hopeful that Doan still will be his captain when the 2012-13 season begins.

“I’m certainly not involved in any contract negotiations, but there are lots of conversations back and forth, making sure he knows that we’re trying to do everything we can,” Tippett told NHL.com on Wednesday. “We certainly don’t want him going anywhere, and I’m probably no different than the other teams trying to (get him to) come to their place, I’m just trying to convince him to stay.”

If Doan leaves, it would be a major blow to the Coyotes, who already lost leading scorer Ray Whitney from the team that went to the Western Conference finals for the first time. In addition to the Sabres, contending teams such as the Flyers, Kings, Penguins, Rangers, Red Wings and Sharks have been reported to be interested.

The wait for Doan to sign may be holding up the NHL trade market, as teams wait to see what the veteran does before seeing if they can acquire Bobby Ryan, long rumored to be available from the Anaheim Ducks. Talk surrounding Ryan also has cooled lately after the summer began with new possible destinations for the winger reported on a near-daily basis.

Doan scored 22 goals with 28 assists last season to help Phoenix win the Pacific Division title. He is the only player who has been with the Coyotes for their entire time in Phoenix—Doan’s rookie year was the last in the history of the original Winnipeg Jets.